Talent For Love
by Carrot The LuvMachine
Summary: Every one hundred years, a koorime is impregnated asexually.  But what happens to a male halfkoorime on their one hundredth birthday?  A HieixKurama mpreg fic.
1. Chapter 1

Hi and welcome to my newest fic! Now, this is my first time writing Yu Yu Hakusho, so please bare with me. Be gentle in the reviews, but I'd also like some criticism.

Alright, before I begin I have to post some warnings. This fic contains **YAOI, MPREG, SHONEN AI, AND LEMON SCENES.** If you're uncomfortable with any of the following, I suggest you find another story to read. Don't go complaining to me that you found something in my story "disgusting", cause all I'll say is "I warned ya!"

Also, this story is a **HIEIXKURAMA** fic!

That's about it for the intro, so, on with the story!

**Talent For Love**

_Chapter One_

All seemed completely quiet and still as the fox's keen eyes scanned the surrounding area in search of his "prey". He sat high up in a tree, completely hidden to the naked eye, concealing his ki. Reaching up, he wiped the sweat from the brow on the back of his sleeve. His breathing was ragged, and to put it simply; he was exhausted. He'd been on a chase for nearly three hours now, but his prey didn't seem to be willing to give up. Chasing him down and capturing him would be the only way to end this little game, Kurama knew this well. However, the idea of capturing the little fire demon and the actual action were far different from one another. The hiyoukai was crafty, hiding his ki and running at speeds even Kurama couldn't pursue. Hiei was being playful today, and Kurama suspected he had plenty more energy to burn off. This had to end quickly, before the kitsune suffered from a heart attack.

Suddenly, a flash of ki was released in the distance, giving off Hiei's position. Kurama, grinned. His mate knew he was exhausted and actually wanted to be caught, so he was making it easier on the fox. Sprinting off, Kurama followed the signal and came to an open meadow that the two demons used for sparing. It was miles from their house, but they still considered it as their property. No one lived close enough to walk through the forest or the meadow, so the two were free to play their demonic games.

Entering into the giant field, the kitsune leapt up into one of the trees to have a look around. Everything was still, to the human eye at least. But if one looked close enough, they would see a blur of black, getting further and further away. Kurama's lips curled into a grin once more as he took off and chased after his target. Hiei was much easier to pursue now that he was in sight, and the fox knew this would all end soon. Within seconds, Kurama had caught up to the half-koorime. It only took him a few more seconds to pounce and pin the petite demon to the ground.

Hands on the hiyoukai's shoulders, straddling his hips, Kurama smiled down devilishly at his prey. Hiei lay below him, covered in a layer of sweat and smiling as well (a sight that few get to witness, one that is specifically reserved for his fox). His crimson eyes locked onto Kurama's green ones as the fox whispered.

"Got you."

Hiei shivered as the fox's hot breath met his neck. He regained his composure within seconds, however. "Yes, but what do you plan on doing to me now that you've got me?" he asked, his eyes practically shimmering with lust.

Kurama smirked and leaned down, pressing his soft, moist lips to that of the fire demon's. They shared a long, lingering kiss before the kitsune pulled back to examine his prey. "That, for a start. I think we should go back to the house and get cleaned up before we continue though."

"Hn."

The two demons headed back to their home, sweaty and exhausted. They entered through the back door and hurriedly found their way to the bathroom. Kurama pulled the shower curtain aside and turned the water on. Hiei busied himself undressing as Kurama readied their shower with the necessary things (shampoo, conditioner, body wash, wash cloths, soap). Once the shower was prepared, Kurama started to shed his clothes as well.

Hiei grinned as the fox's dirty shirt fell to the ground. "Here, fox. Let me help you." Gingerly, he grabbed hold of Kurama's waistband, slowly pulling the pants down and off of the kitsune's body. Hiei then did the same with Kurama's boxers, not failing to notice the bulge inside of them. Once the kitsune was completely naked, Hiei slithered back up Kurama's body, planting kisses on his way up until he reached the fox's lips.

Kurama let out a laugh, which broke their kiss. "Koi, can't you wait until we're showered?"

Hiei 'hn'ed before stepping into the shower, followed by his fox. When the two of them showered it usually took a while for them to actually get clean. A lot of foreplay was usually performed before they got down to business. Kurama wet the washcloth he held and began to lather it with soap. Once it was foaming, he gently ran it along the hiyoukai's body, scrubbing every inch. Hiei repeated the same process with Kurama before reaching behind him and grabbing a bottle of shampoo.

Squirting some into his hands, he lathered up Kurama's red locks, massaging his skull diligently. Kurama closed his eyes, letting out a soft sigh. The fox loved the attention the fire demon gave him, and when his hair was played with he went into a trance-like state.

Hiei grinned, noticing how much his partner's body had relaxed. Dragging his fingers downward, he stopped behind Kurama's ears, where he started to scratch and rub.

Kurama let out a moan, his whole body shuddering. Just like dogs, foxes were sensitive behind their ears, and Hiei knew this well. The Jaganshi was well aware of Kurama's weak spots, and never failed to find them at the right time.

When the teasing was over, Kurama was free to wash the soap from his hair, proceeding to finish it with conditioner. Letting the substance sit on his head for a while, Kurama poured some shampoo into his hands and started to wash Hiei's hair. Even in water Hiei's hair seemed to defy gravity. It was sopping wet, yet it still stood, spiked and proud.

Kurama laughed as a stray bubble from the shampoo landed on Hiei's nose, causing the fire demon to go cross-eyed looking at it. Eventually it popped and Hiei clamped his eyes closed shut. "It won't hurt you, Koi."

"Hn, those things burn!" Hiei retorted, passing Kurama so that he could wash the shampoo from his hair.

Once Kurama had washed his hair clean, the water was turned off and the demons took turns towel drying each other. This bathroom routine had started soon after the first time they mated. At first Hiei thought it to be childish and stupid. Why would someone need help in the bathroom? He saw it merely as a weakness, until Kurama decided to step things up a notch. To put matters simply, Hiei now looked forward to their bath time.

Completely dry and naked, the two demons fell down onto their queen sized bed together, sighing in sync. Kurama turned his head to look over at Hiei, who was staring up at the ceiling.

"I do believe we haven't finished our little game from before." The kitsune brought up, bringing a smile to Hiei's lips.

The small fire demon turned on his side to face his fox. Kurama's crimson locks lay sprawled out around his head, nearly shining in the moonlight. His emerald eyes danced with excitement, and he had a grin lingering on his lips. "Then let's continue."

Kurama sat up, straddling the smaller demon's hips and pinning his arms above his head. Anyone who knew Hiei knew that he never gave up without a fight. He was always dominant in battle, and generally stubborn in life. When matters came to Kurama, he was the completely opposite. He let the fox do whatever he pleased to him, and he enjoyed it. Somewhere in their relationship, it seemed Kurama had become the uke, and this was perfectly fine with the hiyoukai.

Leaning down, Kurama planted a trail of kisses going up Hiei's firm chest. Once he reached his neck, he veered to the left, latching onto a rather red patch of skin and sucking on it. That red patch was the mark Kurama had left to make Hiei his. Like the hiyoukai, Kurama had a similar mark that resided on the left side of his own neck. These marks let other demons know that they were mated, that they were taken, and completely devoted to each other. Demon markings were like wedding rings to ningens, and demons wore them proudly.

Hiei took in a sharp intake of breath when he felt Kurama sink his teeth into his skin. Letting the breath escape, a moan came and the tiny demon seemed to wiggle beneath his lover. His hands found their way up the kitsune's spine and into his hair.

Kurama lowered his back end, pressing his hardening member up against Hiei's and releasing the flesh between his teeth. He rubbed against his partner as he took Hiei's lips into his own, their tongues fighting for dominance. Their kiss lasted for minutes until they were forced to break apart for air.

Now thoroughly turned on, Kurama dragged his body down Hiei's, his mouth stopping at the fire demon's most sensitive spot. With a few licks, Kurama took Hiei into his mouth. Hiei arched his back almost instantly, letting out a pleasing moan. Kurama grinned around the member in his mouth, swirling his tongue around it's length.

Already, Hiei felt himself getting close to his end. He looked down at the redhead on his pelvis. "K-Ku...rama..."

Kurama knew exactly what was going through the fire demon's mind. Slowly, he let Hiei's member slip from his mouth and sat up, reaching to the night stand for a tube of lubrication. He covered two of his fingers with the slick substance before replacing it and moving to Hiei's entrance. He looked up at the head of the bed, where Hiei sat panting and was given an approving nod. Gently, Kurama slid his two fingers into his fire demon.

Hiei gave out a slight hiss. No matter how many times they did this, it always hurt. Maybe it wasn't as painful as the first time, but it was still nearly excruciating. He felt the kitsune wiggle his two fingers inside of him, teasing him and getting close to his prostate. Hiei bucked his hips, letting out a growl.

"Alright, Love," Kurama laughed, slipping his fingers from Hiei's entrance. "I'll give you what you want." In a split second he was inside of his fire demon.

Hiei's eyes went wide as he let out yet another moan. He was tight, very tight. He always had been, and no matter what Kurama did he'd always remain that way. Kurama loved this, of course, and was grinning as he gently thrust in and out.

Hiei closed his eyes, his hips coming down to land on the mattress once again. This didn't last for long though. Kurama grabbed hold of Hiei's ankles and placed them on his shoulders to get at a better angle. He continued his gentle rocking, Hiei moaning the whole time.

The fire demon's eyes opened to meet those of his fox. He gave a lustful smile, sweat dripping down his face. Kurama returned the smile, picking up his pace and slipping a hand around Hiei's member. He began to pump, completely in rhythm with Hiei's thrusts.

As he dove deeper, Kurama eventually found what he was looking for. He struck Hiei's prostate, causing the hiyoukai to nearly cry out. The excitement of hearing Hiei moan caused him to pick up his pace even more. He felt himself nearing his climax.

With a few more thrusts, Kurama spilled his seed inside of his lover, just as Hiei came all over himself. Panting, Kurama slipped out, careful not to fall and crush his lover. He guided himself to Hiei's side and lay down, attempting to catch his breath.

Hiei turned his head and smiled lazily at his fox. "You never...let me down, fox."

"I'm glad...you...enjoyed it."

Now both thoroughly exhausted, Kurama spooned Hiei up against him and held him tightly in his arms. "Get some rest, Koi. You have a big day ahead of you."

Hiei, who was half asleep already, was confused by the fox's words. "Hmm?..." he mumbled.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten about your birthday," Kurama started, wiping the hot and sticky liquid from Hiei's stomach. "We're going to Genkai's to celebrate."

His one hundredth birthday! He had nearly forgotten! Tomorrow marked a huge day for both Hiei and his twin sister Yukina. Not only would they both be turning one hundred, but the team would be expecting a new member soon. Once every one hundred years, an ice maiden gives birth asexually. Yukina would become pregnant within the next few days and give birth to a Koorime baby in nine months.

"Hn, I didn't forget, Fox." Hiei muttered, trying to shake the thought from his mind. He loved his sister dearly, and he knew how excited she was for this to be happening to her, but his hatred for her people would never die. What they did to him was unforgivable, and he just prayed that Yukina's baby wouldn't turn out to be a cold wench like those who inhabited the floating ice land in the Makai.

"Good," Kurama replied, letting out a yawn. "Then let's get some rest. Good night, Koi."

"Night, fox."

"I love you, Hiei." Kurama planted a kiss on Hiei's lips before adding. "Oh, and happy birthday."

"I love you too, fox. Thank you."

With that, the two demons drifted off into a peaceful slumber, lying together in each other's embrace.

-Author's Corner-

Well, that's the end of the first chapter! I REALLY appreciate any reviews and comments you might have. This was my first lemon (not to mention my first yaoi fic) and I'd really like to know how I did. I know I'll improve with time.

I'd like to ask a favor of anyone who reviews. Please leave baby names in your reviews! I'm not revealing any sexes of any babies that may be born in this fic, so I'll need a name of both sexes, please. Which ever name I pick out will be credited to the person who suggested it, and will be placed in my fic!

Thanks so much for reading!

-Colie


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, I actually got comments! I want to thank everyone who left me reviews, I enjoyed reading them all! I promise to continue this story as long as you guys keep leaving comments for me to read.

On a side note: yes, I'm completely aware of the error in the first chapter. Kurama is the _seme_ and Hiei is the _uke_. I was typing quickly, and to be completely honest, both of these words are new to my vocabulary. Sorry for the mixup!

Another note: I don't need baby names anymore. I've come up with one of my own, and once you see the baby you'll understand that the name fits well. But thank you so much for sending in names! I'll write more mpregs, and use other names (especially the name Ryuu, I've had an idea for a child with that name! So keep on the look out for him!).

Now, on with the story!

**Talent for Love**

_Chapter 2_

Hiei felt his stomach churn for the fifth time since he opened his eyes that morning. The first time he merely ignored it, thinking it was no big deal. The second and third times caused him to grow more concerned. By the fourth time, he sat up in bed, staring at the bathroom, wondering if he was about to be sick. After the fifth, he stood up, knowing his stomach could no longer hold it's contents, and he rushed off to the bathroom.

Pushing the lid up, Hiei leaned over the porcelain bowl and emptied out the dinner he ate the previous night. His eyes clenched shut as a harsh shiver wracked his body, making him shake and slide to the floor, his upper half still resting on the bowl. Why was he getting so sick? Had he perhaps eaten something that didn't agree with him? Demons almost never suffered from illness, that he knew, so it must have been something he ate.

He panted for a bit, trying to catch his breath, but was interrupted by another wave of nausea. Leaning over the bowl once again, the process repeated.

Kurama's ears twitched as he came back into consciousness. He yawned lazily, stretching and opening his bright emerald eyes. It took the sound of someone retching for the fox to finally realize that Hiei was absent from the bed. His eyes widening in realization, Kurama slipped on a robe and rushed off toward the horrid sounds.

"Hiei!" he nearly shouted, entering the small bathroom and bending down beside his lover. "Are you okay? What's wrong? Was it something you ate?"

Hiei finished throwing up and sat back down on the floor, leaning against the wall, panting and sweating profusely. "Slow down, fox..."

Kurama blushed. "Oh, sorry." He then stood up and retrieved a glass from beside the sink. Turning the faucet on, he filled it with water and brought it to Hiei. "Here, get rid of that taste."

The fire demon instantly downed the liquid as Kurama wiped the sweat from his brow with a cloth. "Thanks, fox."

The kitsune then plopped down beside his lover, a worried expression across his face. "Now, what's wrong, love?"

Hiei shook his head, clenching the empty glass in his hands. "I'm not sure. I just woke up this morning and felt sick..."

"Perhaps it was something you ate."

"Maybe." Hiei felt an arm wrap around him and he was pulled against the fox's chest.

"Don't worry about it. You'll start to feel better soon." Hiei just gave a nod before Kurama stood up, offering his hand. "Come on, I'll make us breakfast."

Though the little hiyoukai wasn't hungry in the least, he nodded and let Kurama help him to his feet. He followed his fox through the halls of their home, entered the kitchen, pulled out a chair, and sat down to think. Distantly, he heard the sounds of Kurama getting out a frying pan in which to make eggs. He could smell them cooking, but it seemed his stomach had calmed down for the moment. Glad he wasn't going to be sick again, he watched the fox with interest.

Kurama cracked a few eggs into the pan and stirred them around with a wooden spoon. He then reached over and popped two pieces of bread into the toaster, humming to himself as he prepared their meal.

"Fox?"

"Hmm?" Kurama asked, looking over his shoulder as he stirred the eggs again. "What is it, Koi?"

Hiei shifted a little in his seat, "Youkai don't usually get sick, right?"

Kurama frowned. He could easily tell that Hiei was concerned about his health. "No, Koi, I'm afraid they don't. Youkai usually don't suffer from human illness such as stomach aches."

"Then what do you think is wrong with me?" Hiei quickly asked.

"As I mentioned before, it was probably something you ate that upset your stomach," Kurama turned to the toaster as the toasted pieces of bread flew from it. He put one on each of the two plates on the counter, and then divided the eggs. Bringing the meals to the table, he set one dish down in front of Hiei and the other in front of his place setting. "Don't worry about it so much. I'm sure it's nothing serious."

Hiei picked up his fork and poked at his eggs, giving a sigh. "I hope so, fox..."

- - -

Yusuke sat on a couch, a helium tank by his side and a bag of empty balloons on his other. Choosing a nice bright green balloon, he hooked it up to the tank and turned the handle. He'd been doing this for about an hour now, and he was starting to get very bored. Dully, he looked to the other side of the room where Kuwabara stood on a stool hanging a large "Happy Birthday" banner across a doorway. The red-head had already fallen from the stool nearly three times and was starting to get frustrated. Yusuke, of course, laughed every time it happened, finding amusement in his friend's accidents.

Plucking the balloon from the gas tank, he put it to his lips and inhaled, grinning. "Hey, Kuwabara!" he yelled, his voice about three octaves too high. "I'm a chipmunk spirit detective, SPIRIT GUN!"

Kuwabara turned and started cracking up as Yusuke pointed a finger at him. "Good one, Urameshi!"

Yusuke sighed again. "Aww, I was hopin' you'd fall again." he pouted, his voice now back to normal.

"Ha ha..."

The door on the other side of the room opened and Botan came running through, nearly hopping. "Kurama and Hiei are coming up the temple steps!"

Yukina popped her head from out of the kitchen. "Kazuma, have you finished putting up that banner yet?"

Kuwabara stuck the last tack into the banner and let out a victorious laugh. "DONE!"

Botan stepped beside him to have a look, smiling. "Great job, Kuwabara!" she smacked him on the back, causing him to once again fall forward off the stool and land face first on the ground. Yusuke howled with laughter from the couch, and Keiko, Yukina, Shizuru, and Genkai came out from the kitchen to see what the noise was. "Oops! My bad!"

At that moment, the front door opened and Kurama and Hiei stepped in. "Hello, everyone!" the kitsune greeted cheerfully.

Yusuke spun around on the couch. "Kurama, you missed it! Kuwabara fell off the stool!"

Kuwabara jumped to his feet for the fourth time that day. "Stop making such a big deal about it, Urameshi! I'm fine!"

Yukina rushed across the room and threw her arms around her brother, who blushed promptly at the contact. "Happy birthday, nii-san!"

"H-Happy birthday..." Hiei replied as he was released. Yukina took a step back, smiling happily. That was when Hiei remembered. 'She could already be carrying a baby...' Appearance-wise, Yukina looked exactly the same as she usually did. She was dressed in her usual blue kimono, her icy hair tied back from her face and her large crimson eyes smiling happily. She gave no outward signs that she may be carrying a child. Hiei figured this was because it was too early in the pregnancy for his sister to be showing many signs. His thoughts of pregnancy and children quickly dissolved as he felt Botan's hand clamp around his wrist.

"We've set up a table in the backyard with presents and snacks and things!" Botan explained, tugging at Kurama. "Let's get this party started!"

The party remained quite calm and cheerful as the twins took turns opening up everyone's gifts. Hiei refused to admit he liked anything he got (except for the new katana from Yukina), so it was left to Kurama to say thanks to everyone. Dinner and cake were served as the group sat down at a large table and listened to party music. Hiei had remained quiet for most of the day, wondering exactly why his mind kept wandering from his friends.

By nightfall, Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Shizuru were completely intoxicated thanks to the ningen liquor they had brought. The rest of the girls stayed away from the drinks, and Kurama had politely refused every time he was offered a glass. Of course, everyone knew better than to ask Hiei if he wanted any.

About five hours into the party, Koenma appeared through a portal in his teenaged form. "Sorry I'm so late, everyone. I had loads of papers to sign, and dad just wouldn't let me out until I was done!"

Yusuke slung an arm around the junior god's shoulders. "Hey diaper breath!"

"HAHAHA! Diaper breath!" Kuwabara repeated, howling with laughter.

Koenma looked from the dark haired teen, to the tall goofy looking one, and then over at Botan, who mouthed "they're drunk".

"Aww, darn. I brought some Rekai liquor for them to try too!" Koenma produced a large bottle of clear liquid from seemingly out of no where. Said bottle was instantly snatched up by Yusuke.

"I'll try some!"

"Me too!" echoed Kuwabara.

"H-Hey, save some for me!" Koenma yelled as Yusuke began pouring himself a very sloppy glass.

Kurama rose from his seat beside the birthday boy and approached the teenaged toddler. "Hello, Koenma."

"Kurama! How's it goin?"

Yusuke and Kuwabara sat off to one side of the yard, laughing and talking amongst themselves in a drunken stupor. At this point in time, Yusuke was struck with a brilliant idea. He leaned over to his orange haired companion and jabbed his shoulder. "Hey, Kuwabara, let's get Kurama drunk!"

Kuwabara laughed outwardly. "Alright, but how will we do that? He's one tough cookie, Urameshi!"

"The stuff Koenma brought oughta do the trick. Reikai liquor is the strongest alcohol of all the three worlds!" Yusuke got to his feet, holding up the shining bottle. "You hold him, I'll pour."

"And that's about it. Hiei and I are happy as can be," Kurama smiled warmly at the demi-god. "How have you been?"

"Buried in paperwork." Koenma sighed, bowing his head just in time to miss Kuwabara sneaking up on the fox from behind.

Kurama let out a startled noise as he was restrained. "W-What're you doing, Kuwabara?"

Yusuke jumped out of no where, whisked the bottle through the air and popped it into Kurama's open mouth, tipping it's contents down the kitsune's throat. "Bottoms up, Kurama!"

Kurama's eyes widened as he realized that the liquid being poured down his throat was none other than Reikai liquor. He struggled to get free, his heart beating quickly, until he felt heat rising to his face. His whole body seemed to calm and he stopped struggling immediately. The bottle ran out on him and was promptly removed from his mouth. He swayed on his feet, the effects of the alcohol already setting in.

Yusuke let out a triumphant laugh. "There ya go, foxboy! Now you'll be the life of the party!"

Kurama tried as hard as he could to focus his glassy green eyes on the boy in front of him, but to no avail. He let out a soft hiccup and nearly fell to the side as Kuwabara supported him. "M-Make everything...stop...spinning..."

Koenma snatched the empty Reikai bottle from the spirit detective's hand. "Yusuke! I was going to drink this!"

"Oh c'mon, Koenma! It's way more fun getting Kurama drunk than you!" Yusuke shot back, pointing to the off-balance kitsune.

"I don't think I've ever seen him drunk before." Kuwabara thought aloud. "I've never even seen him drink!"

Kurama stumbled across the yard, laughing to himself and tripping over his own feet. He eventually wound up underneath the party table, where he crawled over to a pair of legs on the other end.

Hiei jumped as he felt something brush up against his thigh. "What the hell?!" He lifted up the table cloth to reveal Kurama's head which rested in his lap.

"Hehe, hi!" Kurama giggled, his cheeks flushed with redness.

Hiei quirked an eyebrow, wondering why his fox was sitting under the table. "Kurama, what are you doing under there?..."

Kurama sat up and snaked his way onto Hiei's lap, pressing a finger to the hiyoukai's lips. "Shh...I'm hiccup hiding!"

"Hiding?" Hiei repeated. Kurama replied with a nod and a small burp, which Hiei caught a whiff of. "Fox, have you been drinking?"

Kurama wrapped his arms around Hiei's neck, putting his lips to the soft skin. "Maaaaybe."

Hiei jumped as if he'd just received an electric shock. Not only was he surprised by Kurama's actions, he was generally surprised that the kitsune was showing this much affection in public. The two usually never even held hands in the presence of others. They knew that most of society didn't accept the way they were, and they didn't need anyone shouting rude names or comments at them.

"Fox! Stop!" Hiei hissed, attempting to pry the drunken fox from his neck. Kurama clung on for dear life, shaking his head.

"I dun wanna!"

Hiei was left to stand up from his seat, causing Kurama to tumble from his lap and land on his back on the ground. The red-headed boy proceeded to roll in the grass, laughing and hiccuping. Hiei stared down at him, wondering if the effects of the alcohol had somehow brought out the kitsune's true nature.

Storming off through the yard, the angered hiyoukai came to a stop in front of the detective. "You," he started, pointing a finger at Yusuke's chest. "You did this."

Yusuke snickered and tried to suppress his laughter. "He's more fun this way!"

"Fun?!" Hiei repeated, his voice growing in volume. "Fun?! Is _that_ what you would call 'fun'?!"

The boys looked over at Kurama who had the end of the tablecloth in his mouth and was yanking at it. All the items that were once on the table were now on the ground, including the left over cake which had deposited itself onto Kurama's head. The kitsune let out a giggle.

"Whoa, he's real messed up." Kuwabara commented.

Hiei turned his burning glare back to the detective. "What exactly did you give him?"

Yusuke put a finger to his chin and looked up at the sky. "Some kinda Reikai liquor...Koenma brought it. Why?"

"It isn't an easy thing to get a demon drunk, Yusuke," Hiei replied, his eyes turning back to his wasted fox. "It's even harder getting them sober."

Kurama was currently running in circles, trying to catch his invisible and nonexistent Youko tail.

"We just have to wait it out," Kuwabara brought up. "In health class, they taught us that only time can sober people up."

Koenma was staring sadly at the empty bottle in his hands. "My best liquor..."

- - -

With much difficulty, Hiei managed to get his drunken kitsune home that night. Kurama had to be supported the whole way back, and he hadn't taken well to going down the stairs of Genkai's temple. He continually spoke of nonsensical things, asking Hiei who he was, giving him compliments, and questioning where his tail had gone. By the time they reached their house, it was nearly five in the morning.

"Ooh, who lives here?"

"We live here, Kurama." Hiei answered, his patience draining quickly as he let the drunk boy lean against the house. He reached over and put his hand into Kurama's pocket, searching around for the house key.

Kurama let out an alarmed squeak. "Hey! Get your hand out of my pants!"

"I just want the house key."

"Ooh," Kurama stopped his screaming and stared lustfully down at Hiei, who had retrieved the key and was about to open the front door. "I hiccup understand...You want me."

Hiei rolled his eyes. Kurama was turning out to be the most annoying drunk he had ever dealt with. He had never imagined anyone could have been worse than a drunk Botan, but he was sadly mistaken. "Oh yes, Kurama. I want you, I want you so badly," he grinned, deciding to play a little game with his fox. "Now go upstairs and get in bed, I'll be right there to play with you."

Kurama giggled like a school girl and stumbled ungracefully over the threshold. "Hehe, okay! But don't take too hiccup long...I'm sleepy..."

Sleepy, yes, that was exactly what Hiei wanted to hear. He didn't know how much longer he'd be able to last! He took off his shoes and watched as Kurama tripped up the stairs and disappeared from sight. He then sat down on the couch, giving out a sigh. He needed a bit of a break before he went up to tend to his kitsune, so he decided to rest for a while in the living room.

He glanced around the large area. Pictures decorated the walls, and he smiled as he remembered where and when each was taken. There was a picture of Kurama, Shiori, and himself on the day they had moved into their new house. Shiori has her arms wrapped around the both of them and was smiling in a sweet motherly way. She had taken a liking to Hiei from the moment she met him. He, of course, had no idea why a ningen woman would be so interested in someone such as himself, but eventually he had grown to like her. He thought of her now as a mother to him. She spoke to him about any problems he had with Kurama, always offering her advice and a shoulder for him to cry on. Hiei respected her for accepting both Kurama's past and the fact that her son was in love with another man.

Searching the wall once more, Hiei came to a picture of himself and Yukina from their birthday party last year. Yukina was hugging onto him, laughing and smiling brilliantly. He gave the smallest of smiles back, his arms loosely wrapped around his adored sister.

'Things will be different from now on...' he thought to himself. 'She'll have to become a mother now, and the baby will be more important to her than anyone else...even me.'

For reasons he could not fathom, he was angry that his sister was going to have a baby. Jealous, maybe, that his only living relative was going to be giving all her love and attention to someone other than himself. Sure, Yukina gave her love to Kuwabara as well, but they had never gotten very serious.

The thought of his little sister becoming a mother was terrifying to him. Was she even ready? Could she handle a child? How would she take care of it all by herself? To him, she was too innocent, too gentle, too carefree to deal with something so complicated as a baby. But, despite all of this, he wished her the best of luck.

By the time Hiei had drifted from his thoughts, it was almost six in the morning. He cursed himself for getting sucked into his thoughts for so long, and quickly rushed to ascend the stairs, hoping Kurama was alright. He padded down the hall, over to the slightly opened bedroom door, and pushed it open gently. Kurama lay on the bed, sprawled out very sloppily. His hair surrounded him, and his shirt was halfway open. His socks and shoes lay scattered several feet apart on the floor beside the bed. His mouth was open slightly, the pink tint still across his nose and cheeks.

Hiei stifled a laugh. Kurama looked simply adorable, like a child who tried getting dressed by himself for the first time. The fire demon then crossed the room and sat down beside his fox, finishing unbuttoning his shirt. As carefully as possible, he undressed Kurama down to his boxers and tucked him into bed. He tied his hair back into a ponytail and let it fall down on the pillow, brushing a few strands of flaming red hair aside. "You're so much trouble sometimes, fox..."

Leaning down, he placed a soft kiss upon the kitsune's lips and turned out the light.

- - -- - -- - -

I apologize AGAIN for the lateness of this chapter! I just started my third semester of college, so I've been busy rushing around for classes. I also have to organize my anime club...so I've been stressed as well.

In my honest opinion, the drunken Kurama thing was a dumb idea. I hate how it turned out, and it seems out of place...I hate myself for putting it in, but oh well. What's done is done.

The next chapter may take some time to write, but trust me, things will really roll from then on! The next chapter is pretty much the turning point of the story, and we finally get to the main point!

Please leave comments, suggestions, flames, whatever you want! Thanks so much for sticking with me! You guys are the best!

-Colie


	3. Chapter 3

**Talent for Love**

Chapter 3

Two weeks came and went slowly and painfully for Hiei since his one hundredth birthday. Every morning since, he'd been rushing to the bathroom to empty the contents of his stomach violently into the toilet. Kurama was often woken by the jostling in the bed and proceeded to follow his little fire demon and sooth his back while he wretched. Often, the kitsune would advise that Hiei seek medical attention.

"I...can't." Hiei panted one morning after a rather violent bout of nausea. "I'm a demon, Kurama!"

"Then we'll travel to the Makai," Kurama suggested. "We can find someone there who'll know what's wrong."

"I'm fine." Hiei insisted. "It's just...just a bug."

Kurama grew increasingly worried over the next week. Hiei's strength seemed to be sapped by something. He spent most of the day in bed, resting. Then, when he wasn't asleep, the fire demon spent his left over time eating. This wasn't any kind of normal eating either, no, Hiei had taken to eating nearly everything in sight. Within three days, he'd emptied the entire contents of the fridge and then complained that Kurama didn't go shopping often enough. Kurama, of course, restocked the fridge and lectured Hiei on eating only what he needed to fill his stomach. This naturally didn't work, for the demon continued his ravenous habits right after his lecture.

One morning, nearly a month after Hiei's birthday, Kurama stood in the kitchen making breakfast when he was interrupted by a disgruntled shout. Nearly dropping the plate he was holding, the kitsune dashed up the stairs to find Hiei in their bedroom, glaring down at his pants which lay on the floor.

"Hiei," Kurama gave a confused look. "What's wrong?" He approached the angry fire demon and picked up the clothing on the floor.

Hiei's face turned bright red and he turned away from his fox. He muttered something very incoherent.

"What?"

Hiei looked down at the floor, his face only becoming more red as he repeated his mumbling.

"I can't understand you. You have to speak louder."

"I said I can't get them on!" the fire demon snapped.

Kurama looked down at the pants he held, then back at Hiei. "Try once more."

Snatching up the pants, Hiei again tried to pull them on. He managed to get them over his hips, but they just didn't seem to want to button. While Hiei struggled with this, Kurama tried his hardest not to laugh. "Why won't they fit, fox?" Hiei turned huge confused eyes on his lover.

Kurama bit his lip and furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't know how to break this to you, love. But it seems you've gained weight."

"No, I haven't." Hiei protested, his eyes slanting to a glare.

"Hiei, you've been eating us nearly out of house and home. You didn't expect to get away with it carefree, did you?" Kurama asked.

Hiei stared down at the ground again. "I don't know why, but I've been really hungry lately..."

"And that's alright, it probably has something to do with you throwing up every morning," Kurama explained, putting his hand on Hiei's shoulder. "You just need to eat a little less."

Hiei looked up into his fox's emerald eyes. "Okay."

"Until then, you can wear a pair of my jeans. I'll cut them for you."

So life went on as it normally did for another week. Hiei was now wearing a pair of Kurama's old jeans which had been cut to fit him properly. He still continued to eat everything in sight, seeming a bit upset about his increased appetite. Some days he'd go into the bathroom and stare at the scale, as if wanting to step on it and weigh himself to see just how much he'd gained, but he never did.

Kurama had noticed over the course of the week that Hiei was giving off an odd scent. Being a kitsune, Kurama's sense of smell was nearly ten times greater than that of an average human, so he could easily sniff out this new fragrance that was coming off his lover. The problem was, he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. It was something he'd never smelled before in his life, something very new, and it thrilled him. He had taken to smelling Hiei nearly every chance he got, and was becoming infatuated with the smell he was giving off. The kitsune simply couldn't keep away, it was as if the smell was drawing him in; an intoxicating lust potion.

Hiei lay curled up on the couch one afternoon after lunch and Kurama sat in the kitchen sorting out the bills. The redhead just couldn't concentrate, that smell was getting to him again. He balled his fists and grit his teeth, it was taking nearly every ounce of his being not to pounce on his fire demon right then and there. Finally, after nearly ten minutes of staring at the gorgeous being on the couch, Kurama ran from his seat and straddled his demon.

Hiei stirred, furrowing his eyebrows and moaning in his sleep, trying to get away. "Fox...not now."

Kurama threw the blanket from the couch and had already started taking off the fire demon's clothes. "I need you," he whispered harshly. "You're driving me insane." With this, he crushed his lips against that of the smaller demon's.

Hiei's eyes shot wide open, staring shockingly at the look of desire on his mate's face. Kurama was nearly drooling as he reached to unbutton Hiei's pants. "What's gotten into you?"

Kurama seemed not to hear him as he slid down Hiei's body, leaving a trail of lustful kisses. He reached his mate's member, licking its tip, looking devilishly up at Hiei to see him let out a sharp gasp.

It wasn't that he was complaining, no, this felt more than wonderful to Hiei. He was just curious as to why Kurama was acting so sexual all of the sudden. Usually, he was the one who would randomly get horny, and Kurama would have to take care of him, but now the roles were reversed. As Kurama took his member into his mouth, Hiei wondered what exactly he was doing that was "driving Kurama insane."

The fox ran his tongue up and down the length of the member in his mouth, taking in its taste and smooth texture. Eventually, he started to swirl it around, causing Hiei to arch his back and start moaning. Grinning, Kurama ran his teeth along Hiei's penis, earning a very loud moan from his mate.

"K-Kurama..." Hiei's knuckles were turning white as he gripped onto the sides of the couch. He was arching his pelvis into Kurama's mouth, wanting more. If it were up to him, he'd like to have his whole body inside of Kurama's mouth. His head was thrown back as Kurama slipped two fingers into his entrance. He gritted his teeth together to keep from screaming. With no preparation this could be quite painful, but Kurama never hurt Hiei.

Exploring inside, Kurama struck Hiei's prostate, sending him quivering and moaning. The fire demon was shaking underneath his mate, unable to be silenced. A few more strokes sent Hiei over the edge. He spilled his seed inside of Kurama's mouth.

Kurama let the member slip out as he swallowed the seed of his lover, savoring every last bit of it. He still had a devilish look of lust plastered over his usually calm face.

Hiei was panting when Kurama came back up to his face, locking their lips. "T-Take me..."

That, it seemed, would have to wait until another time, for the second Hiei said it, there was a knock at the door. Kurama was instantly snapped out of his trance, hopping off the smaller demon. "Get your clothes on!" he whispered hurriedly.

Hiei struggled to get dressed as Kurama walked to the door, looking out the window. "It's Yukina." he called. Hiei finished getting clothed and fixed his hair up a bit before Kurama opened the front door, putting on a mask to cover what had just happened.

"Yukina, hello!"

"Hello, Kurama-san," Yukina greeted, giving her usual sweet smile. "May I come in?"

"Of course." Kurama replied, stepping aside and letting the ice maiden into the home he shared with her brother.

Yukina's face lit up the second she spotted her brother sitting awkwardly on the couch. "Nii-san!" she crossed the room and threw her arms around him, giving him a great big hug. "I haven't seen you since our birthday! How have you been?"

A blush crossed Hiei's face. No matter how many times Yukina embraced him, he felt he'd never get used to it. Being a big brother was still very new to him, and he still had no idea how to act or what to do half of the time. "F-Fine..."

Yukina released him and sat beside him, smiling brilliantly as usual. "That's great!"

Kurama, having watched this little display of sibling love from the threshold, closed the door and walked over to his large leather chair. He sat down, smiling and observing the twins, wishing he didn't have to relieve the tension Hiei was feeling. "So, Yukina, what brings you all the way out here?"

The ice maiden turned her eyes toward the kitsune, her smile dimming slightly. "Well, actually, it's about the baby I'm supposedly carrying..."

Kurama furrowed his brows as he watched her play with the bottom of her sweater nervously. He sensed something was wrong, Yukina seemed upset.

The koorime lifted her head, staring back at Kurama again. "I've been unable to sense it."

Kurama gave a confused look. "That's...odd..."

Yukina nodded slightly, looking down at the floor once again. "It should be far enough along to have its own ki. It shouldn't be this difficult to sense, that's why I fear something is wrong." She paused and looked over at Hiei. "That's why I came to see you, Nii-san. Your gifted eye must be able to sense it. Please, can you check and make sure everything is alright?"

Hiei stared back into the eyes that were an exact replica of his own, and gave a nod. "Of course." He then reached up and began untying the headband from his forehead. "Just remain as relaxed as possible, it'll be easier for me to distinguish between the baby's ki and your ki that way." The cloth slipped away to reveal a lidded eye directly centered on Hiei's forehead. Upon closing his two normal eyes, the large purple Jagan opened and gazed around the room for a moment before focusing on Yukina. Through the eye, Hiei could distinctly make out the glowing blue ki that was flowing through Yukina's body. He scanned over her figure, focusing everything on her abdomen, hoping to find what he was looking for.

During this time, Yukina sat as still as possible, her demonic heart rate a bit abnormal. Kurama had come to stand by her side and hold her hand to relieve some of her stress and worry, but it didn't seem to be doing much good. The kitsune looked on with a worried expression; it was taking Hiei much longer than it should have.

Ten full minutes passed before the Jagan closed and Hiei's crimson eyes opened again. The room seemed to spin for a moment and the fire demon had to blink several times before everything came back into focus.

"Well?" Kurama asked.

"D-Did you sense it, Nii-san?"

Hiei looked down and bit his lip. Yukina's heart seemed to stop as he shook his head. "I...I don't know why, but I couldn't pick up anything. I could only sense your ki and nothing else. I-I'm sorry, Yukina..."

Yukina turned sad eyes on the floor once again and she gave a sniffle. "I-It's alright, Nii-san. T-Thank you..."

Hiei looked on as a Hiruseki stone fell onto the floor with a small clank. Kurama was the first to embrace the tiny crying ice maiden, his heart going out to her.

"I-I don't understand!" Yukina cried, hugging onto her brother after Kurama had done all he could in trying to calm her down. "N-None of it makes any sense!"

- - -

It took hours to calm Yukina down and about fifteen minutes to find and pick up all of the fallen Hiruseki stones, but at least when the koorime left she was stable once again. She said she had to go home and rest for a while, that she wasn't feeling that well. Neither Kurama nor Hiei could blame her. They had both gone back to their usual activities once the ice maiden had left.

Hiei lay on the couch once more, trying to continue his nap. His crimson eyes were attempting to bore a hole into the ceiling. He was so confused, so frustrated and angry, yet so upset. He knew how much that child meant to his sister, how much she must be hurting right now. He couldn't bare to see her in pain, yet when she was right in front of him crying her heart out, he could do nothing but hold her in his arms. He'd never know that kind of pain, what it must be like to lose a child.

"You're worried about her, aren't you?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, the fire demon's eyes came down from the ceiling to rest on Kurama, who stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable. The red haired man walked forward and sat down on the couch by Hiei's feet. His gentle green eyes stared lovingly at the demon in front of him. "I'm here if you need to talk, Hiei."

Talk? Hiei almost never needed to talk. Especially about his feelings, that was something he kept bolted up inside, locked away in the deepest depths of his heart. Yet, this time was different. He did need to talk, and before he could stop himself, it all came pouring out. "I just don't understand! A new Koorime baby is only born every one hundred years! On their one hundredth birthday, a Koorime becomes pregnant and is destined to give birth to a girl child! Then why didn't it work out that way for Yukina?! Why?!"

Tears were beginning to weld up in his eyes. It was pointless to keep them in now, they were clearly visible, he couldn't hide them from Kurama, and so he let them fall. "She wanted that child...She would have been a great mother! It just isn't fair! It doesn't make sense! Why her?! Why Yukina?!"

Before he had the chance to continue his ranting, Kurama leaned forward and pulled him to his chest, holding him tightly in his arms. He rocked him back and forth, soothing his back and Hiei cried almost uncontrollably.

"I know it hurts," Kurama said, tears streaming down his porcelain cheeks. "But it'll be alright...She'll get over this, Hiei, she will. She just needs some help. You'll be able to give her the help she needs when Kuwabara can't comfort her. You can do that, can't you?"

The small half-koorime nodded, his violent sobs having ended a minute before. He sniffled and tried to catch his breath as the last of his Hiruseki fell from his eyes.

Kurama smiled and ran a gentle hand through Hiei's soft black hair. "You're a wonderful brother, Koi..."

- - -

Long after the sun had set, they received an urgent call from Yusuke who said that Koenma had a new mission for him. The four had agreed to meet up at the park so that Yusuke could tell Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara the details. Before the two left, Kurama made sure Hiei was perfectly alright, and that he wouldn't accidently let the Yukina incident leak out. Kurama had said that Yukina needed to be the one to tell Kuwabara or anyone else what had happened. Once Hiei had promised not to say a word, the two took off.

The demons arrived as quickly as they could, finding Yusuke and Kuwabara sitting on a park bench when they got there.

"Alright, so here's the deal," Yusuke began. "Koenma said some lowlife demon got through the barrier. He said it isn't that big a deal, since the demon isn't that powerful, but the bastard attacked a ningen child this afternoon and apparently killed her. He's asking us to get rid of him before he causes any more trouble."

"Should be simple enough." Kurama replied, smiling casually.

"I can take him on by myself! Just point out the way!" Kuwabara boasted, leaping to his feet.

Yusuke rose to his feet as well, patting his orange-haired friend on the shoulder. "That's the catch. Pacifier breath said that this demon has a unique ability to almost completely mask his ki. We won't be able to sense him with our powers alone." Yusuke looked over at Hiei and Kurama. "That's why I asked you two to come. If I had the Jagan, I could have done this by myself!"

Hiei crossed his arms and glared up at the raven-haired human. "Hn, is that all I'm good for lately?"

"Yes." Kuwabara quickly answered.

"Don't make me kill you."

"Is that a threat, shrimp?!"

"Hn, if you weren't so dumb, you could have figured that out yourself."

"That's it, bring it on! I'll clobber you!"

Yusuke quickly jumped between the two before a fight broke out. "Gentlemen, I believe I called you here for us to track a demon, not so I could watch Hiei beat the crap out of you, Kuwabara."

"HEY!"

Kurama stifled a laugh behind his hand. His friend were certainly entertaining, and it seemed Hiei was back to his usual self. Maybe a little fresh air was all he needed to feel better. "Hiei,"

"I'm on it." The half-koorime closed his eyes and the Jagan opened for the second time that day. Every sound of the Ningenkai was silenced as the eye searched the town for a demon presence. Hiei was so concentrated, he couldn't hear Kuwabara yelling at him.

"I swear, shrimp! One of these days I'm gonna deck ya so hard you'll never make funna me again!"

"Kuwabara, forget about it, man!" Yusuke laughed, dropping back down onto the bench and waiting.

"But why's he always gotta do that?!" Kuwabara asked, looking down at the spirit detective.

Yusuke gave a shrug. "You started it."

"I did not!"

"Did too."

"Did not! Right, Kurama?"

Kurama stopped his laughing and put on a serious face. "I'm afraid this time you did, Kuwabara."

Kuwabara crossed his arms and glared at nothing in particular. "Well, it doesn't matter. The shrimp was way outta line."

Kurama gave Kuwabara a smile before turning around to face Hiei again and check on the progress of tracking this demon. "Hiei, have you found him ye–"

Suddenly, Hiei's small form began to fall forward, but Kurama was there before it even hit the ground. "HIEI! HIEI!"

Yusuke and Kuwabara snapped out of their argument and rushed over to their fallen comrade. "What happened?!" Yusuke asked, bending down as Kurama set Hiei down on the ground.

"I-I don't know..." Kurama replied, clearly very worried. "He just fainted..."

Hiei's face was pale, his breathing irregular. Something was wrong; the Jagan never drained him this much before. The fact that he used it twice in one day shouldn't have effected him this much either. He had had it opened for much longer periods of time. Kurama thought about all of this as he watched Hiei's eyelids slowly begin to flutter open.

"Hiei," Kurama was holding his hand and looking down worriedly at him. "Hiei, are you alright?"

Hiei blinked several times, wondering how he got on the ground. "What...happened?"

"You fainted." Yusuke bluntly replied.

"Maybe because of that Jagan thingy." Kuwabara put in.

Kurama shook his head and slowly helped Hiei to sit up. "He's used it for much longer periods than he has today...Something is wrong with you, I told you you should have seen a doctor."

"I won't." Hiei replied with as tough a voice as he could muster in his current condition. The world was still spinning before him as Kurama held him sitting up.

"Has he been sick or somethin'?" Yusuke asked, bending down to look at Hiei more closely. The fire demon simply glared.

"He's been throwing up quite a lot lately, especially in the morning. He's also been sleeping a lot, much more than usual. He seems to have no energy." Kurama explained as Yusuke retreated several steps back upon hearing Hiei growl at him.

Kuwabara gave out a laugh. "Sounds like a pregnant woman!"

At this, Yusuke burst into laughter as well. "HAHAHA! Have anything to tell us, Hiei?! HA!"

Kurama helped Hiei to his feet and gave a stern look to his friends. "Please, don't pester him. He isn't feeling well."

Yusuke's laughter died down as he wiped the tears from his eyes and sighed. "Alright, alright. Can ya at least tell us where the demon is? You two can go home, Kuwabara and I can handle this."

"Three miles south of here." Hiei replied as he leaned on Kurama.

Yusuke nodded. "Great! We'll take care of that then. Feel better!" He gave a wave before running off.

"Yeah, feel better, shrimp!" Kuwabara said as he took off after Yusuke.

Kurama watched them for a moment before looking down at Hiei. He knew instantly that the little fire demon didn't have enough strength to walk all the way home, so he gently scooped his mate up into his arms. "Just hang on, I'll get you home as quickly as I can."

Hiei wrapped his arms around Kurama's neck and nuzzled into the fox's chest, giving a nod. As soon as he was comfortable, Kurama took off back to their home.

- - -

**Author's Corner**

-stretches and sighs- Wow...this chapter took forever to write. I'm VERY sorry that it's taken so long...I've been busy with college lately, and anime club...Not to mention the fact that one of my cats landed on my laptop and shut it with such force that the screen cracked!!! So, I've hooked up my poor laptop to a monitor, and I'm currently using that as a very "ghetto" computer.

As I said before, I've planned out the next chapter of this already, so hopefully it won't take as long for me to write it. I hope you'll all still be eager to read it once it's out!!!

Thanks so much for the reviews and support! I'll finish this story even if it means the death of me! MUAHAHA!!!

-Colie

Oh yeah, and if you'd like to read some really great HieixKurama fics, check out my friend's stories. Her name is CandidIshida. THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, YAMI-CHANNN!!! -waves frantically-


	4. Chapter 4

**Talent for Love**

Chapter Four

Heavy eye-lids slowly opened, only to clamp shut as the sun flooded his sensitive eyes. His head was pounding, his entire body ached, but above all, he couldn't remember what caused him to feel this way. As he lay there staring at the ceiling, fuzzy memories of the night before began to come back to him.

'I remember rushing to the park with Kurama.' The scene seemed to playback in his mind as he went over the details. 'Yusuke called and told us to meet him and the oaf...He said Koenma had a mission for us, and they needed me to find the demon with my Jagan...I remember using it...and then, everything went black...'

Hiei let a sigh escape his lips as he turned over to find the other half of the bed unoccupied. That was when he noticed the rose stuck into the wall. Upon further inspection, Hiei found that the rose was pinning up a note. Reaching out, Hiei pulled both the rose and the note from the wall, finding that it had only left a small thumbtack sized hole. 'Stupid fox. Why can't he just leave it on the table like a normal human being?' Looking down at the note, he began reading.

_Dearest Hiei,_

_Good morning! I see you've found my note, that's good, it means you feel well enough to open your eyes at least._

_In case you don't remember, you fainted last night after you used your Jagan. I carried you home and put you to bed straight away. Needless to say, you slept through the night with no problem at all._

_I've gone out to investigate the cause of your illness. I think I have an idea of who I can go to with questions. I'll be back as soon as I can. Breakfast is on the counter._

_Love you._

_Kurama_

Hiei's eyes glanced over the word "breakfast" several times. Each time, his stomach churned in an unsettling manner. 'Not again...' Bolting up, he rushed for the bathroom to empty his stomach.

* * *

"Thank you for taking time out of your day to talk to me," Kurama said with a smile as he sat down on the floor.

"It's no problem, Kurama-san," Yukina replied. She seemed to have gotten over the bad news rather quickly. Kurama hated having to come to her and ask for advice when she was in such a horrible state, but it was his only choice. Yukina knew more about Koorime than anyone, and Kurama needed answers. "You comforted me yesterday, after all. I owe you." Yukina seemed to be all smiles. This would have fooled anyone but the person sitting in front of her at the current moment. "So, you needed to speak to me, Kurama-san?"

Kurama gave a nod. "It's about your brother."

Instantly, Yukina became worried. "Nii-san? What's wrong? Is he alright? Is he sick? Is there anything I could do?"

Kurama put his hands up in defense, laughing softly. "I'm taking care of him, don't worry. He's been ill, yes, but I can't find any reason for his illness."

Yukina's huge crimson eyes filled with confusion. "What's wrong with him?"

"Well, he has some odd symptoms. He's been throwing up every morning, yet once he's recovered, he eats everything in sight. He's been putting on weight, sleeping more than ever, his energy level has been very low, and last night he passed out from using the Jagan." Kurama saw Yukina gasp, and hurried to cut her off before she could bombard him with questions about her brother's health once again. "He's completely fine right now. He's sleeping."

"Do you need me to heal him? Is that why you came?"

Kurama gave another smile. Yukina truly was a very devoted and caring sister. "No, that isn't the reason. Actually, I've come to ask you about Koorime reproduction."

The confusion in Yukina's eyes only grew at this statement. "Why do you need to know about that?"

"Please, tell me everything you know about it, and then I'll explain."

Yukina gave a nod and put on a serious face. Being a Koorime, she was taught about Koorime reproduction at a young age, so she could better prepare for her future. Kurama was positive he came to the right person about this matter.

"Every one hundred years, a Koorime baby is born. It is almost always female, except in the case of Imiko such as my brother. The only real way to conceive a male child would be for the mother to reproduce with a male demon outside of the land of ice. That is what our mother did. But aside from sexual reproduction, Koorime reproduce asexually on their one hundredth birthday, or that's what I've heard. It only happens every one hundred years to prevent over population. Since only one new baby is born every one hundred years, we never have to worry about overcrowding."

"So," Kurama cut in. "No two Koorime are the same age then?"

Yukina nodded once more. "Yes, we are all one hundred years apart, except in the case of twins. Nii-san and I are the only Koorime I know of who are the same age."

"Then only one Koorime becomes pregnant every one hundred years?" Kurama questioned, almost completely positive about his theory.

"Yes," Yukina replied.

"And you were supposed to be the one who conceived a child this year, correct?"

"Yes," Yukina responded. "Kurama-san, what does this have to do with Nii-san?"

Kurama bit his lip, thinking hard for a moment. If he was correct about all of this, would Hiei really mind if he told his sister? No, Yukina and Hiei were close, of course he wouldn't mind. At least, Kurama dearly hoped that he wouldn't.

The fox took a deep breath and let his lips part, speaking what he believed to be the cause of all of this confusion.

* * *

Kurama arrived home a few hours after he set out to Genkai's temple to speak to Yukina. Upon opening the front door, he found Hiei nestled into the cushions of the couch, a large blanket covering his small form. A smile played on Kurama's lips as he gently shut the front door and approached his mate.

One of the only times Hiei ever looked truly innocent was when he was asleep, so Kurama cherished the moments when he could gaze upon his sleeping lover and see his beautiful smile. Figuring the half-Koorime needed his rest, Kurama simply bent down and pressed a kiss to his lidded Jagan before turning to walk away. He was stopped, however, when a small moan escaped Hiei's tiny mouth.

"Mnn...Fox?"

Turning back around, Kurama leaned over the arm of the couch, smoothing Hiei's spiky raven hair. "Yes, love. I'm back."

Hiei's crimson almond-shaped eyes opened to stare up curiously into the face of his fox. "What did you mean when you said you went to 'investigate my illness'?"

Kurama continued smiling, figuring Hiei was too tired to have everything explained to him right now. "I went to speak to your sister."

Upon hearing this, Hiei sat up-right and turned around to face his mate. "Yukina? Why?"

"Would you rather I went to go speak to the Koorime about it?"

Hiei glared slightly, he hated when his fox answered a question with a question. Seeing that his mate was growing impatient, Kurama began to elaborate. "I went to speak with Yukina because she's the only Koorime I know of currently residing in the Ningenkai." Hiei opened his mouth to ask another question, but was interrupted when Kurama continued. "To answer your next question, the reason I'm hunting down Koorime is to learn of their reproductive cycle."

Now Hiei was utterly lost. His head was spinning and he was wondering exactly what his fox was up to. He wished Kurama would just cut to the chase and tell him everything he discovered, but he knew that wasn't how the Youko operated. "And why did you need to learn that?"

Kurama gave a knowing smile before touching one long finger to Hiei's button nose. "Because it lead me to my conclusion, and I now know what's wrong with you."

Hiei's eyes crossed as he glared at the finger upon his nose. He slapped it away, becoming completely aggravated and unable to put up with this chase any longer. "What's your brilliant conclusion, fox?"

Kurama stood, finally breaking eye contact with the smaller demon. He took a few steps before seating himself next to his mate, heaving a sigh. He looked out the window before continuing. "Hiei, do you know what kind of people experience the symptoms you've been going through?"

Hiei raised a brow, having followed the fox's movements to a tea up until this point. His head was spinning again. "I...think."

"What kind of people experience morning sickness, Hiei?"

Hiei swallowed before answering in a small and hesitant voice. "Women."

"What kind of women?"

Again, Hiei shot his mate a death glare. "Kurama, what the hell does this have to do with me?!"

"What _kind _of women, Hiei?" Kurama pressed again. He was hoping the little Koorime would figure this out on his own.

The glare faded as Hiei finally answered the question. "Pregnant women. But I don't see what that has to do with me. Why are you asking me these questions?"

Figuring now was as good a time as any, Kurama's emerald gaze fell upon his lover. His lips parted, and he prayed with all his heart that Hiei would understand what he was about to tell him. "Hiei...you're pregnant."

The fire demon's world seemed to stop. Everything stood still; the images before him froze, his lungs refused to help him breathe and his eyes wouldn't blink. He sat stiff as a board as the word repeated itself in his head a million times. Pregnant? Pregnant? The word seemed to echo in his mind as if it were bouncing off the inside of his skull. Each time it grew louder and more terrifying. He refused to believe it. He absolutely refused. But why would Kurama lie about something so serious? No, it wasn't in the fox's nature to lie to his mate, his lover. Though his mind wouldn't allow him to believe such a thing, his heart was telling him that this was not a lie.

Seeing the look of pure shock on the fire demon's face, Kurama reached out, putting his hand to Hiei's cheek. No response. He tried calling out to him; "Hiei?" Still, no response. The fire demon had gone into a state of shock. He remained this way for nearly fifteen minutes, that, it seemed, was when his voice returned to him.

"P-Pregnant?..."

Kurama breathed a sigh of relief and pulled his smaller mate into his arms, holding him close to his chest. "Hiei..."

"No. I-I can't–"

"You can, love," Kurama pulled back to look his demon in the eyes. "I'll help you the entire time...Hiei, please, we can do this."

"No."

"Hiei, this is something we both created. A child of our own! Our flesh and blood. Please, consider this carefully, love." Kurama held Hiei's head in his hands as huge almond shaped eyes stared up at him, showing nothing but pure terror. Kurama's heart almost shattered, he didn't expect Hiei to react this badly. "Hiei?"

That was when he noticed it. A small tear was making its way down the young Koorime's cheek. Before it even had a chance to solidify there was a flash of black, and Hiei was gone.

* * *

Hiei bolted from the house and ran as hard as his short legs would allow him. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he fled into the woods and jumped up into the nearest tree. He wouldn't allow himself to stop running, he couldn't. If he kept running, maybe he'd get away from all of this. He leapt from one tree to another as tear gems fell off his chin. He didn't even seem to notice when the rain began to fall. It seemed to be reflecting the way he felt inside; miserable and terrified. Huge heavy droplets fell from the sky, pounding into his skin and soaking his hair, but the half-Koorime kept running. He didn't even have a clue as to where he was going, all he knew was he couldn't stop.

His legs carried him deep into the forest and didn't stop there. After what seemed like an eternity, he reached the end of the wooded area, having run for miles. Panting, sniffling, and crying, Hiei collapsed against a tree trunk. His arms automatically wrapped around himself as he shook, staring down at his form. He could sense it, it was there, the fox hadn't been lying. He really was pregnant. Well, that took care of the problem of figuring out whether or not it had been true, now came the real obstacle; what should he do with it? His first thought was to kill it. It scared him to think there was something living inside of him. There was no way in hell he'd let some parasite continue to grow in his body. The thought of it made him sick and he collapsed on all fours to throw up violently onto the leafy forest floor. His tears continued to flow out of his eyes as he dry-heaved and nearly choked up his breakfast. He was shaking even more fiercely when he had finished, but he managed to lean himself up against the tree trunk again.

He sat there just breathing for some time before the thought of Kurama finally entered his mind. He must be worried, he must feel as if it's his fault that Hiei ran off. 'Well it is,' something in Hiei's mind had started speaking to him. 'It's his fault you got pregnant, and now he wants you to keep the damn child? He doesn't even care what you think about it! He just wants you to deliver him a baby for him to raise as his apprentice!'

"N-No..." Hiei tried to fight the voice in his head. "K-Kurama loves me...H-He'd never do that...He didn't mean to..." He squeezed his eyes shut tightly as another tear gem fell into his lap. He forced himself to face the facts; he was pregnant and it wasn't just Kurama's fault. No, it was no one's fault. He couldn't think of a child as just an accident, there had to be a reason it was created.

'It was created because you reached the height of Koorime maturity. You became fertile and that damn fox took advantage of it! Just kill the child and end your misery!'

"No!" Hiei shouted. He knew that if he killed the child he could never face his fox again. He couldn't bare it, every time he'd look at Kurama he'd think of his dead child. If he killed it, he'd run away forever and never see his friends, his sister, or his mate ever again. Once he was far enough away, he'd most likely kill himself. After all, without Kurama his life was meaningless, right?

"I-I don't want to kill it..."

'Then what will you do with it? Allow it to grow inside of you? It'll make you fat, it'll make you hideous, Kurama won't love you for long with that growing in you.'

"KURAMA ISN'T LIKE THAT!"

'And what will happen when it's born? You can't take care of a child, you've never had parents. Before that fox came along you didn't even know how to love someone. You couldn't possibly raise a child with him. No matter how you look at it, you're screwed both ways.'

"NO!" Hiei curled up tighter into a ball, his claws digging into his skull as his fangs took root in his lower lip. The tremors in his body refused to cease and so did the rain.

The voice was right, he couldn't care for a child. Kurama had taught him everything he knew about love. Without the help of his fox, he wouldn't feel happy or safe, he wouldn't have a home, nor would he have a sister. But most importantly, he wouldn't have someone to love who loved him back. Now he was starting to resent running away from Kurama like that. The fox was probably out in the rain looking for him. Hiei had to go back, he knew that. It didn't matter if Kurama hated him, he still loved Kurama, so he would return to him. He lifted his head and was surprisingly met by two shining green orbs.

Kurama stood in front of him, drenched in rain water and panting. His cheeks were flushed, his nose was red, and he didn't even have a coat on. "Hiei..."

Hiei continued to stare back up at him, unable to speak. He hadn't yet reached a decision, what was he to do? Just when he felt at a complete loss, Kurama bent down to kneel in front of him.

"Hiei, come here." Kurama smiled warmly at him and opened his arms.

More tears weld up in Hiei's eyes, most of them solidifying and hitting the forest floor after they ran down his face. Kurama's eyes poured out tears as well; so he had been crying all this time? He had upset him. How could he have allowed himself to upset his fox?! Before he knew it, Hiei had leapt forward into Kurama's arms and was sobbing against his chest. His small yet strong arms wrapped around his lover, never wanting to let go. "Kurama, I'm so scared!"

Kurama held Hiei close, one hand running through his soaking wet hair as the other rubbed soothing circles on his back. He planted kisses on his small lover's forehead as he whispered softly to him. "Hush, love. Everything will be alright now...I'm here and I love you." Kurama knew that above all else what Hiei needed right now was reassurance, and that was exactly what he was going to give the tiny Koorime.

Hiei continued to shake in his lover's arms, his body racked with violent sobs. He couldn't seem to get a hold of himself. His tears wouldn't stop no matter how many times he commanded them to. "Kurama, I–"

"Not now, love." Kurama scooped Hiei up bridal style and got to his feet, looking down at the demon in his arms. "We'll discuss this once we get you home and dried off."

* * *

Hiei sat in bed wearing a pair of cozy pajamas, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, and a towel hanging off his head. Kurama had dried off his body and was currently working on his sopping wet hair. Hiei closed his eyes as Kurama rubbed at his head with the towel before finally tossing it aside and pronouncing the Koorime as dry.

The fox then tended to Hiei's bleeding lip. He had sank his fangs into it while he was deep in thought, and currently had a trail of blood running down his chin. Kurama cleaned up that mess and examined the injury, discovering that it had already healed. He would have expected nothing less, with Hiei being a full youkai and part Koorime.

Though he was dry and clean, Hiei still remained silent. His hands lay in his lap and he seemed content to just stare at them in a daze. Kurama had left him that way as he got changed into his own pajamas and crawled in bed beside his mate.

"Hiei?"

It took the fire demon a minute before realizing that someone was calling his name. He lifted his head and turned to look at Kurama, his eyes remaining unfocused and large.

"Hiei, I know you're frightened..."

Actually, right now he seemed pretty calm. His heart had stopped pounding harshly against his chest, his tears had stopped flowing, and his mind was no longer racing. "I'm...I'm alright, fox."

Kurama looked a bit shocked at this, but smiled none the less. He reached his hand into the smaller demon's lap and took hold of Hiei's tiny hand, giving it a squeeze. "I'm glad you've come around."

Hiei lifted his eyes to lock onto Kurama's. "I want to keep this child," he started, his eyes flaring with determination. "I know I'm probably not the best candidate for a parent, but I want to try. You're right, fox, this child is something we created. Together. And that's how I want it to be raised, by the both of us."

Kurama's smile only grew as his eyes began to water. He had hoped Hiei would realize this on his own, but he hadn't counted on it. Hiei really surprised him sometimes.

"I won't do to this child what my people did to me."

There it was. That was his reason. Hiei didn't want someone to suffer the way he did. To be exiled from the world. Separated from the one who birthed you. Left to fend for yourself or die. He had lived a very harsh life; a life without love. He would never wish that upon anyone else, not even his greatest enemies. That was why he'd keep this child. He would show it what love was, be there for it, care for it, and raise it. And he'd do all of this with Kurama by his side.

* * *

-Author's notes-

Blah...I like this chapter and hate it at the same time. I'm so sorry it took forever for me to update!! I recently got hooked on Saiyuki, and I've just balanced things out so that my love for HieixKurama and my love for my new yaoi couples won't collide.

I got into the mood to write this because my friend Jess has been roleplaying with me every night. She's the greatest Kurama ever, and I'm going to dedicate this chapter to her. I hope she finds someone who will love her as much as Hiei loves Kurama!!

Thanks for sticking with me, guys!!


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